5 Essential Marketing Tips for Start-Ups

You have your business plan done. You have trusted team members by your side. You’ve refined your start-up’s products and services. Pat yourself on the back, because that’s a lot of hard work! Now, to the even more difficult part: getting exposure. Successfully marketing a start-up can be one of the most difficult aspects of succeeding one. However, if you follow these 5 tips, you’ll find yourself on the right track.

1. Acquire E-mail Addresses

One of the most effective marketing strategies for start-ups is e-mail marketing. E-mail marketing reminds subscribers you exist. But how do you acquire people’s e-mail addresses? One idea is to invite community and industry members to a pre-launch event. Have a sign-in sheet by the entrance where people can list their contact information. Include a slot where they can mark whether or not they’re interested in joining your e-mail list.

2. Answer Social Media Questions Related to Your Industry

One thing that will make a good impression to potential customers is showing them you know what you’re talking about. One way to do this is to monitor what questions people are asking about your industry. An easy way to do this is to set up Google Alerts and save Twitter searches related to the types of products and services you sell. See what you can answer using your own social media account, and be sure not to directly advertise your company when you do it. Your kind gesture should be enough to promote you.

3. Create a Media Kit

Having a media kit will give your start-up an extra dose of professionalism. They’re an effective way to give people an idea of who you are and why your start-up matters. Any standard media kit includes statistics from credible, non-biased sources that show why your products and services are useful. It also includes biographical information about your start-up team, as well as videos and images.

4. Get in Touch with Media Editors and Industry Bloggers

Start pitching to start-up-themed news outlets, bloggers, and local newspapers and show them why your start-up is newsworthy. Why is your product innovative? How do your products and services move the industry forward? Try to answer these questions and communicate your answers to the people you’re pitching to. If they find your start-up interesting, there’s a chance they’ll write about it. Another thing you can do is give industry bloggers free products or a special deal in exchange for a review. Once you’re in contact with them, inquire if they’re looking for any guest posts. If so, mention that you’re interested in contributing.

5. Submit Your Start-up to Directories

Submit your start-up to directories like Go2Web20, Crunchbase, and Killer Startups. You can also try to get listed on websites that list similar services together, like SitesLike. Being part of these directories will make it easier for people to find you.

If these marketing methods are done on a consistent basis, you’ll certainly be able to increase your audience. However, don’t be discouraged if you don’t receive a spike in audience growth right away. It usually takes a good amount of time before people really start noticing you. Even when you do receive more customers, you should keep performing these marketing tasks with diligence and, even, improve them as you go along.